Federal and B.C. governments to pay $200M for Tumbler Ridge school and health centre

VANCOUVER — The federal and British Columbia governments have announced billions of dollars in combined investments to spur housing development while lowering costs and modernizing infrastructure, including building a new high school in Tumbler Ridge, the site of a mass shooting.

Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement Thursday of what he said was a “landmark new agreement” while on a construction site in Vancouver.

The federal and B.C. governments are pledging $100 million each to build the new school and modernize the Tumbler Ridge health-care centre.

B.C. Premier David Eby promised the new school last month, saying students wouldn’t have to return to the site of a mass shooting in February.

Carney said when he and the premier were in Tumbler Ridge after the murders of eight people, they heard from students, parents, teachers and first responders.

“We talked about what could be done to begin to heal from that trauma, that loss, unspeakable tragedy. The premier and I, among other things, we promised that we would be there for the community as they rebuild,” Carney said.

The prime minister said work on the new school will start this summer, beginning with the removal of the existing school.

Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her mother and brother before going to the school on Feb. 10, killing five students and an educational assistant before killing herself.

The partnership announced Thursday between the two governments includes spending more than $5 billion on B.C. infrastructure, $3.2 billion to lower development charges for multi-unit housing — reducing costs by up to 50 per cent in communities that are deemed a priority — and $284 million to reduce barriers for new construction.

It also includes a deal between the two governments on converting unsold condos into affordable homes.

“We’re going to leverage innovative financing tools from Build Canada Homes to convert thousands of vacant condos into affordable homes,” Carney told the news conference.

There are about 2,200 vacant condo units in areas considered a priority for growth in B.C., and Carney said converting those would be the fastest and most efficient ways to increase housing supply.

“With higher interest rates and weaker investment demand, developers are stuck,” he said. “They don’t want to sell at a loss. They can’t afford to hold those empty units indefinitely. And the problem is that those empty homes don’t just sit idle. They also disincentivize new construction.”

Carney said more information would be provided on that program in the fall, but it could include purchasing the condos and renting them or financing the homes at an affordable rate.

The prime minister will also be attending the World Cup game between Canada and Qatar while in Vancouver.

He said he expected a good match, as the Qataris are tough, but Canada will be on the attack.

“We’re great at the back, we got a great keeper, so I think it’s going to be great. The atmosphere is going to be unbelievable in BC Place, and the atmosphere on Granville (Street), the atmosphere everywhere is unbelievable, you can feel it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2026.